Menu

Slow Sewing

May 16, 2018

Over one year ago I decided it was time to build a wardrobe. One that fit my real lifestyle and my real dimensions! On top of that, my clothes had to actually fit me. And not vice versa.

As you probably know all RTW clothes are designed using a table chart that describes the measurements each size corresponds too. Obviously, it is very hard to match your own with those used by each retailer. Meaning that if you want your clothes to fit properly you most probably have to have them altered by a tailor.

Enter sewing. Although I can make alterations to RTW I find that sewing my own is almost always the best route. This is true for a number of reasons but the next two are the most important ones:

For me, it costs less money to sew a garment from scratch. This is because I usually buy cheap fabrics and I use the same patterns more than once. I also draft some of my own patterns which cost me just pennies.

It can take less time to draft a pattern, buy fabric and sew from scratch that going out to the stores to try to find a garment that I actually like, can afford and then make all the alterations that are needed.

Note: I am not committed to an all handmade wardrobe. I do buy RTW clothing but that is a whole post on itself.

When all this started I had very limited clothing. In an effort to cover most of my basic everyday needs, and those of my little boy as well, I started sewing all my spare time. Suddenly, I found myself trying to sew a garment in less than a day. If it took more than that I would just consider it a failure and I would move on to the next project. Speed of construction was the number one criterion of choosing a pattern design.

In reality speed and volume has taken over my life. I constantly try to do more things in less amount of time. This mindset has forced me to lower my standards of quality. Both in work and in life. My only goal has become to do more.

Well, I had enough. From now onwards I will slow down. And sewing is going to go slow. I will just try to take my time. And go step by step. Because sometimes you just have to step away for a while. Take a moment to think and re-evaluate.